Beverage cooling apparatus



-Aug. 24, 1943. LEVlNE 2,327,910

BEVERAGE COOL ING APPARATUS Filed Mrch 18, 1941 Z ETC-Z1. /0 J6 Mdero/v 4 v//v INVENTOR.

ATTOR/VJ SYJ Patented Aug. 24,1943

BEVERAGE COOLING APPARATUS Morton Levine, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assign'or to Herbert Levine and Arthur E. Levine, jointly, both of Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1941, Serial No. 383,901

8 Claims. (Cl. 62-141) This invention relates to beverage cooling apparatus for beer, ale, and other beverages served from bars.

One of the popular methods of cooling beer, ale, or other beverage for dispensing from a service bar, is to store kegs containing the beverage in a pre-cooling chamber, which chamber is cooled by mechanical refrigeration embodying the expansion gas principle. Also, the beverage is further cooled at the bar just prior to dispensing from the bar taps, and it has been the practice to rely upon ice, cooling coils, ice water and the like as the final cooling medium. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to utilize the expansion of gases of such a mechanical refrigeration unit as the final cooling medium for the beverage, thus eliminating the costly and unsatisfactory cooling medium heretofore relied upon for such cooling.

Another feature of the invention resides in subjecting the individual shanks of the dispensing taps to the cooling action of the expanded gas of a mechanical refrigeration unit, by circulating the gas through a-m'anifold through which the tap shanks extend.

Another feature of th invention is to provide a dispensing tap cooling manifold which may be easily and inexpensively installed in beverage cooling systems now in use and which includes mechanical refrigeration for precooling purposes.

Other 'features of the invention will become apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevational view of a beverage dispensing and cooling system embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical trans verse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 31s a'perspective view of the cooling manifold per se.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral ill designates my gas refrigerant manifold in its entirety, which includes an elongated casing H preferably constructed of metal, and which is rectangular in cross section to provide a front wall [2, an opposed rear wall l3, a bottom wall l4, and a top wall l5, together with opposed endwalls Iii-l6. The rear wall I3 is provided with a refrigerant gas inlet I1 adjacent one end thereof and a refrigerant gas outlet H3 at the opposite end thereof, the inlet and outlet being provided in pipe coupling nipples I9 extending r'earwardly from the wall l3. The front and rear walls intermediate the gas inlet and outlet are provided with alined openings 20, there being a row of such openings disposed in predetermined spaced relation. Extending through each pair of alined openings 20 is a metal tube 2|, the same being welded or otherwise secured to the walls of the opening and the ends of the tube project slightly beyond the front wall l2 and the rear wall l3. The interior of the casing I I constitutes a gas refrigerant cooling chamber 22 in which the tubes 2! are disposed for purposes to be hereinafter appreciated.

In Figure 1 of the drawing, I have illustrated more or less diagrammatically, my improved cooling manifold II) in use, and wherein the numeral 23 designates the floor of a building, beneath which is arranged an insulated room 25, the interior of which constitutes a beverage precooling chamber 25 in which kegs of beverage 26 to be cooled and served are stored. In the modern method of pre-cooling the beverage contained within the kegs 26, which kegs may contain beer or ale, it is the practice to employ mechanical refrigeration, and a mechanical refrigerating unit is shown at 21 and includes a motor driven compressor 28 which compresses the refrigerant gas for passage through a gas supply pipe line 29, and which gas after serving its purpose returns to a condenser through a return pipe line 30. The gas refrigerant pipe lines 29 and 30 connect with an air flow diffuser 31 which is disposed within the pre-cooling chamber 25 for maintaining the chamber at a predetermined cooling temperature. It is the purpose of my invention to connect the gas inlet H and gas outlet I8 of the manifold ill with the respective pipe lines 29 and 30, whereby to make use of the refrigerant gas a a cooling medium for finally cooling the beverage contained in the kegs 26 prior to being dispensed through taps. Therefore, I have illustrated a conventional service bar 32 as being supported on the fioor 23 remote from the pre-cooling chamber 25. The service bar 32 includes a front tap supporting panel 33 through which the threaded pipe shanks 34 of the dispensing taps 35 extend. The spacing of the row of taps 35 conforms to the space between the tubes 2| of the manifold l0 and the respective pipe shank 34 extend through the respective tubes 2|, the manifold fitting against the rear of the panel 33, although it is lightly spaced by washers 35 which encircles the front projecting portions of the tubes 20 as best illustrated in Fig. 2. Fit-- ting onto the rear projecting ends of the tubes 2| are washers 36 and threaded tight against the washers 36 are fastening nuts 31 threaded to the pipe shanks 34. It will be seen by reference to Figure 2 that the pipe shanks of the taps support the manifold l0 in position rearward of the tap panel 33. The external diameter of each pipe shank 34 is equal to the internal diameter of the tube 2| in order that the pipe shank is in contacting engagement with the tube for the transfer of temperature from the tube to the shank. As. previously mentioned, four kegs 26 of beer, ale, or other beverage are stored in the pre-cooling chamber, and there are four taps located at the bar to respectively dispense the beverages from these begs, and in addition, there is a fifth tap for the dispensing of water, this tap being the center one, and its pipe shank 34 connects with a water supply pipe 38 having a water tank 39 arranged therein and disposed within the precooling chamber 25 for the precooling of the water passing through the pipe 38 to the tap. Beverage supply pipes 40 lead from the respective kegs 26 and connect with the shanks 34 of four taps. Portions of the pipes 40 and pipe 38 are grouped around portions of the gas refrigerant pipes 29 and 30, and such grouped portions are enclosed in an insulated casing 4|, whereby the beverage supply pipes are subjected to the cooling action of the refrigerant pipes.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the refrigerant gas from the mechanical refrigerating unit 21' is circulated throughout the length of the manifold 10, and this refrigerant gas cools the tubes 2| and the temperature thereof is directly transferred to the shanks 34, 1'- whereby the beverage backed up behind the taps.

35 will be subjected to the cooling action of the gas refrigerant by transfer through the tubes 2| and pipe shank 34. If desired, however, the tubes 2| might be dispensed with, whereupon the shanks 34 would extend through the alined openings 20-20, but in such case, gaskets surrounding the pipe shanks would be necessary to prevent leakage. There is no leakage possible from the manifold l0, except possibly by loosening of the coupling connecting the nipples l9-|9, but any such leakage may be stopped by tightening of the coupling means.

Whereas I have shown and described what I consider to be the most practical embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes in construction and design as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a beverage service and cooling apparatus, a source of beverage supply, a mechanical refrigerator unit, said refrigerator unit including circulated expanded gas, a service bar, an elongated cooling manifold at said service bar, a row of taps at said service bar, pipes leading from the source of beverage supply to the respective taps having portions extending transversely through the cooling manifold, and expanded gas supply and return pipes respectively connected adjacent the opposed ends of the manifold and to the refrigerating unit, whereby the portions of the pipes leading from the beverage supply to the taps are uniformly subjected to the action of the expanded cooling gas as it passes through the cooling manifold.

2. In a beverage service and cooling apparatus having a source of beverage supply, a mechanical refrigerator unit having expanded gas as a cooling medium, a service bar, an elongated cooling manifold at said service bar, a row of spaced taps at said service bar, pipes leading from the source of supply to the respective taps, portions of the pipes extending transversely through the cooling manifold and disposed in spaced relation, and means connecting the cooling manifold with the refrigerating unit for supplying and circulating expanded gas therethrough to which those portions of the beverage supply pipes disposed within the manifold are subjected.

3. In a beverage serving and cooling apparatus, a service bar, an elongated cooling closed manifold mounted within said service bar having a cooling gas inlet adjacent one end and a cooling gas outlet adjacent the other end thereof, a plurality of spaced beverage supply pipes having portions thereof extending transversely through said manifold and disposed in spaced relation, a gas cooling and circulating unit having an inlet and an outlet, a gas supply pipe connecting the outlet of said unit with inlet of the manifold, and a gas return pipe connecting the inlet of the unit with the outlet of the manifold, whereby a cooling gas medium is circulated through the length of the manifold to which portions of the beverage supply pipes are subjected for the cooling of beverage as it passes therethrough.

4. A cooling manifold for beverage serving apparatus comprising an elongated closed casing, the interior of which constitutes a refrigerant gas chamber, a gas inlet adjacent one end of the cas ing and a gas outlet adjacent the other end of said casing whereby a refrigerant gas may be circulated throughout the length of said chamber, and a row of spaced beverage pipes having portions thereof extending transversely through the casing intermediate the inlet and outlet.

5. In beverage serving apparatus for bars, a bar having a tap panel, a row of spaced taps mounted at the front of said panel and having pipe shanks extending rearwardly therethrough for connection with beverage supply pipes, a gas refrigerant closed manifold mounted rearwardly of said panel having openings therein through which the respective shanks pass, a refrigerant gas inlet adjacent one end of said manifold, and a refrigerant gas outlet adjacent the other' end of said manifold, whereby a gas refrigerant may be circulated throughout the length of the manifold and to which the shanks of the taps are subjected.

6. In beverage serving apparatus for bars, a-

bar having a vertical tap panel, a row of spaced taps mounted at the front of said panel, each tap having a pipe shank extending rearwardly through and beyond the panel, a refrigerant gas manifold comprising an elongated casing having transverse open tubes through which .the pipe shanks extend in contact with the walls thereof, means securing the casing against the rear side of said panel, a refrigerant gas inlet adjacent one end of said casing, and a refrigerant gas outlet adjacent the other end of said casing, whereby a gas refrigerant may be circulated within said casing throughout the length thereof and to which the tubes are subjected for the cooling of a beverage as it passes through said pipe shanks.

7. A cooling manifold for beverage serving apparatus comprising an elongated casing of rectangular shape in cross section, a row of spaced metal tubes extending transversely through said casing and secured to opposed walls thereof and through which beverage supply pipes are adapted to respectively pass, a refrigerant gas inletadjacent one end of said casing, and a refrigerant gas outlet adjacent the other end of said casing,

whereby a refrigerant gas, may be circulated. throughout the length of said casing to which the tubes are directly subjected.

8. A beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus comprising in combination a vertical panel, a gaseous refrigerant manifold supported in a horizontal position at the rear of said panel, said manifold comprising an enclosed hollow casing having a gaseous refrigerant-inlethtpne end thereof and a gaseous refrigerant outlet at the tubes, the pipe shank of the taps passing,

through the alined openings and cooling tubes and being in heat exchange relation with re- 'spect to the cooling tubes.

MORTON LEVINE. 

